A Few Small Bruises
by Intoxicated Lie
Summary: She was only supposed to come out of this with a few small bruises. Apparently, fate had other plans. Rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

**House, MD FanFic**

**Title**: A Few Small Bruises

**Summary**: She was only supposed to come out of this with a few small bruises. Apparently, fate had other plans.

**Chapter Title:** Jan. 17- Morning

**Dedication**: To Brettny, because you are one of the most amazing people on earth. And I know, I was supposed to finish this story in August. But I got lazy. xD What else is new? Butyes, this story is for you love!

**A/N:** It is rather difficult to write in first person when you aren't talking about yourself! This first few chapters are in Cuddy's point of view. It helps to pay attention to the dates and times as well. J And this will probably be the only time I will write a House story using the new team. And, pre-season 4 ending as Amber is still alive and well.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters of House, MD. I DO however own Dr. Chris Robins. He is my own pride and joy; I created him and all that jazz. And I adore him. So no stealing him unless your name is Brettny, cause I gave her permission. 8D

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It had started out like a normal day. As normal as it could ever be for me anyway. My car was due for an inspection, so I dropped it off early. It was the place I always took it to, so I trusted them with it all day. Waiting outside for the person I called to bring me into work, everything appeared normal. The sun was shining brightly- maybe just a bit too brightly as it reflected off the inch or so of snow and ice on the ground. I was even smiling, something I found myself doing a lot lately. It might have to do with my boyfriend of about eight months. He was a doctor at Princeton-Plainsboro, a pediatrician to be exact. Doctor Christopher Jacob Robins, the sweetest, most caring and honest person in the entire world. Okay, in my eyes anyway. I don't deserve such a wonderful guy like him, I really don't. But for some reason he really loves me and refuses to leave.

I didn't have to wait long for a silver SUV to pull up in front of the car garage. It stopped next to me, the window rolling down. "Wow, doesn't someone look striking today!" The voice came from the man in the driver's seat. He had sandy-colored hair and clear hazel eyes. I looked down at myself, noting the normal blue top and black skirt covered by a gray jacket. I smirked at him, rolling my eyes, and then got into the passengers side.

"I dress like this every day, Chris." I pointed out. He leaned over, placing a kiss on my cheek and then handing me a Styrofoam cup of coffee. Taking the cup graciously, I rolled it between my palms, letting the steam warm my face.

"I know." Chris replied with a smile, pulling out onto the main road. "Maybe it's the sunlight." He looked over at me. "It's attracted to you… making you look more like the angel you are." God he was so corny. "And-"

"Watch the road!" I shouted, eyes growing wide as the car drifted. Reaching for the wheel, I tried to direct the car back in the right lane. A chorus of beeps and honks sounded around us. I took a deep breath, leaning back against the seat. "Way to go, lover boy, making my pulse sky-rocket like that."

"I really did that? Wow, I must have some skills." He wasn't talking about almost sending the car into a head-on collision. "You know you love me." Chris couldn't help but smile.

"Oh yeah? When was the last time I told you I loved you?" I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him. He kept his eyes on the road this time, but I knew he had a smart reply.

"I believe it was last night, when we were tangled in the sheets after-"

"Chris!"

"What?" His eyes flashed to mine briefly, gleaming with playfulness. "We're in a car, going thirty miles and hour, with the windows up and the heater on. Who's gonna hear me?"

"Still!" I huffed a sigh and faked a frown, but it just slowly slipped into a grin. He was right anyway, how was I supposed to deny it?

"Still!" Chris mocked with a sigh of his own. The tone of his voice wasn't serious though. Chris was hardly serious. He was a playful ball of fun in the most immature way possible; there was a reason he was in pediatrics. Sipping the coffee, I distracted myself by looking out the window. Chris glanced at me again, trying to gauge my mood. "Fine then, I won't give you the surprise hidden in the glove box…Oops." He gave a cheeky grin as my eyes widened, though for a significantly better reason this time.

"A surprise…? For me…?" I dropped the coffee into the cup holder and practically dove into the compartment in front of me. Gasping slightly, I pulled out a blue velour jewelry box. I opened the box slowly, giving Chris a wary glance. Inside was a diamond necklace. The chain was silver and thin but the charm was three diamonds fixed together, slightly off center in a line. I could only stare at it in awe.

"Because you sparkle like a diamond in my heart." Chris said with a pleased little grin.

"Will you stop with the cheesiness?" I was still staring at the box in my hands.

"The necklace is cheesy?" Chris' face fell and he looked hurt for a moment and I felt bad.

"No, you dork, those phrases." I rolled my eyes, fastening the necklace behind my neck.

"Oh. Sorry." But he was grinning again. I adored his smiled. Good thing too; he sure did it a lot. Maybe that's where I picked it up so recently…

"Wow…" I murmured, flipping down the visor to examine they way the necklace laid in the mirror. "Oh Chris! It's incredible!" We were now pulling into the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital parking lot, more specifically, the parking spot marked with Chris' name. I tore my eyes away from the necklace and grabbed my half-empty coffee, stepping out into the chilly air. Chris was at my side as I closed the door, one hand shoved in his coat pocket. There were a few moments of silence, the only sound being the crunching of ice and salt under our feet.

"I'm glad you like the necklace." Chris said as we approached the front doors. He had my free hand laced together with one of his now as we walked shoulder to shoulder. Neither of us minded, showing a slight display of affection. Off hours, anyway. Inside the hospital, Chris was Dr. Robins and I was Dr. Cuddy; strictly professional. We stopped a bit away from the entrance, both knowing that it would probably be the last time we would see each other before five pm. He pulled me close to him and I leaned up for a small kiss on the lips. Chris complied, and we stayed together like that for a few moments.

"Get a room. Stop taking up the side walk." The figure who reprimanded the two of us prodded my back with something hard and the coffee in my one hand sloshed over the edges.

"House!" I yelped, jumping backwards. He had already moved out of the way. Chris was brushing warm coffee off his coat. House's antics didn't bother Chris at all, something I was surprised to see. He simply shook his head, pulling me back before I went on a yelling spree and added hours to his clinic duty.

"Ah don't worry about it." Chris shrugged, watching House limp through the doors. "He's early today, isn't he?" Chris asked skeptically. I shrugged and sighed, dumping the now-empty cup in the closest trash can.

"What ever it is, I probably should go find out." I frowned a bit, following Chris' gaze. "I'll talk to you later, alright?" I turned back to Chris, who nodded in agreement. We both smiled and I waved. With that, and walking through the double doors, Chris and I parted ways.

Little did I know that it would be the final time I would walk into the main entrance of Princeton-Plainsboro. The final time my lover and I parted ways. The final time House would attempt to some how break apart our relationship, despite how much he had come to respect it. The final time I would see these hours.

My final morning.

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A/N: So, what did you guys think of that so far? How do you like Chris? :3 Yeah, I know not much of the plot is revealed so far, but I promise it will be in the next chapter. xDD


	2. Chapter 2

**House, MD FanFic**

**Title**: A Few Small Bruises

**Summary**: She was only supposed to come out of this with a few small bruises. Apparently, fate had other plans.

**Chapter Title:** Jan. 17- Day

**Dedication**: This whole story is for Brettny. xD

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews and the wonderful comments! 3! Makes me happy. While nothing is going right in the real world at the moment, this seems to be so far. But we'll see.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Cuddy or House or Foreman or anyone else on House, MD. I do own Chris and I guess I own the Piscalli's. xD

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The rest of my work day continued on as planned. I figured out what House was up to, anyway. And therefore spent the rest of my day fixing it. The patient his team had been working on died two days before, and House was determined to figure out why. As usual, a normal autopsy wouldn't suffice for House. His fellows would have been fine with it, and they seemed rather reluctant to even go along with any of his ridiculous tests anyway. House had them all fooled for a while. Tricked them all into thinking they had another patient, with the same exact symptoms. Of course, it didn't last that long as Foreman rained on House's parade by coming to me. His suspicions were raised when House told them only he could see the patient, and that they weren't even allowed to even know the room number.

"Out of all the unethical things he's done-"

"I'm standing right here." House raised his cane and waved it in Foreman's face.

"-He wants us to treat a dead body." Foreman didn't even blink. Instead, he crossed his arms and continued to look me in the eye. I sighed, placing my hands on my desk and pushing away.

"Where's the body now?" I asked, one arm across my chest and the other cradling my temple as I saw a headache in the near future.

"Sitting in my office, having tea and cookies with Kutner." House snorted, sarcasm heavily lacing his words. "We need to figure out what was wrong with her! They won't do the autopsy right and I'll never get the results." As per usual, House just wanted to figure out the puzzle, and he wasn't giving up easily. I had another problem on my hands.

"House, you're being ridiculous." Foreman said, turning to the crippled man. "You can't treat a corpse! The govern-"

"What're they gonna do, throw me in jail for giving peace to a grieving family?"

"You never know! Did you even ASK-"

"Even if I did, he probably wouldn't have understood unless I threw some pasta in his face."

"What if he was in the mob? I'm pretty sure he could kill you."

"Haven't I become friends with the mob?"

"Oh come on, how long ago was that?"

"They gave me a car!"

"Both of you, shut up, _now_." My voice must have reached a dangerous tone, despite the fact that I was trying to be calm. Foreman instantly turned to me while House glared at him for a few seconds before surrendering. "Are you talking about Maria Piscalli? Her husband came in here the other day and chewed me out and tried to blame me for her death."

"We don't know how she died!" House protested, stamping his cane loudly on the ground. "More the reason we should treat her."

"She's _dead_." Foreman deadpanned, torn between aiming it at House or me. House rolled his eyes and groaned.

"How else are we going to figure out whats wrong with her?" House's jaw was locked in a frown and he glowered at his half-fellow, half-boss.

"House," I tried to make my voice softer, less like I was reprimanding him. "You can NOT continue a treat a dead body. It's just plain... wrong. And the body is in the morgue, therefore in the hands of the coroner. You're going to have to wait for the autopsy." My voice was low, calm, and unwavering. "You, of all people, should know a body is different once it's _dead_." I let my eyes turn to a slight glare before I looked away, sitting down behind my desk with the slightest of sighs. "I'm sorry, but you cannot touch the body."

House's eyes were piercing into my skull and I didn't trust myself to look up. With a disgruntled noise, House turned and limped out of my office, no doubt going to cook up an idea on how to treat the body anyway. Foreman gave me what felt like a look of sympathy for some reason, before he left quietly with out another word.

I sighed to myself, in my empty office, recalling the angry yelling of Marco Piscalli quite vividly. The harsh tones echoed in my head, swirling in a dim mist...

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"This hospital has done NOTHING for my wife!" The tall, lanky Italian man stood with outstreched arms, taking up a lot of the space in my office.

"Mr. Piscalli, please, I assure you-" I tried to stand, but just felt tiny compared to his harsh accent.

"No! She's dead! You can not change that!" His voice rushed into a snapping snarl, and there wasn't much I could do. Somewhere in my mind, I knew that he was just upset and he was just finding a reason to take it out on me.

"Believe me, I know I can not change that and I feel for you. I am deeply sorry, Mr. Piscalli." Business-like and professional, though I was cowering just below the surface. No, I told myself. This man shouldn't break me down like this. Instantly, I straightened up.

"Mr. Piscalli, please, my hospital has done all we could for your wife. If you'd like, an autopsy can be done and we can find out what was wrong with your wife-"

"Well if you can find out once she's dead, why can't you do it when she was alive?" Now the man looked in danger of crumbling into an abyss. I faltered just a bit and stepped around to the front side of my desk.

"Things are different when a human body is alive. Risks with medicine..." I tried to explain, shaking my head slowly. "But I will make sure they find out what killed your wife." He seemed to believe this for a moment, but then suddenly his temper came back.

"I don't believe you. You'll cut her up and her body will no longer be pure! She'll be a mess! And still dead. This hospital is to blame. I know I should have taken her somewhere else!"

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With that, he had stormed out. I hadn't heard anything from him, or even a lawyer. I figured that a more level-headed friend or family member must have talked him out of sueing. And so, I had let Marco Piscalli drift to the back of my mind. When I could finally beat back the flash of memory, I busied myself with tracking down House and forcing him to either find Cameron in the ER and take a new case, or do clinic duty. He opted for the latter, and once I made sure he was safely shut in an exam room with at least one patient, I retreated to my office once more, finding myself thinking of Chris.

I just wanted desperatly to call him, to hear his voice for even just a moment. My hands itched toward the phone, but I shook my head, reaching for a pen instead. Ordering something in for lunch, I caught up on my paperwork for the next two weeks.

If I had known the outcome of the day, perhaps I would have wandered the halls of Princeton-Plainsboro. Forced some rules upon reluctant employees. Helped out in the clinic for a bit, tending to a few patients and pretending that my boss was sitting in the office I owned.

The most likely? If I had known how my final afternoon would go, I would have spent the entire time with Chris, down in pediatrics. Following him, helping him, doing anything to be near him for just a few more hours.

But I didn't know.

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A/N: Is it dark and depressing yet? xD I figured winter would do the trick. Yes, this isn't a happy story. Or is it? Muahaha. ;D You'll have to keep reading to find out. Don't forget to review please!!


	3. Chapter 3

**House, MD FanFic**

**Title**: A Few Small Bruises

**Summary**: She was only supposed to come out of this with a few small bruises. Apparently, fate had other plans.

**Chapter Title:** Jan. 17- Day

**Dedication**: This whole story is for Brettny. Causee I love herrrr -hearts-

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! And I apologize for not getting this out sooner. I had the first 3/4 of it written, but the last part was really really hard. You'll see why.

Oh, and I really don't appreciate the rude review left by someone unnamed. A cold thanks to you, I guess. Yes, I forgot to mention that the song inspired me to give it this title. That, and I'm also unoriginal. T_T The song is A Few Small Bruises by Maria Mena and I suggest listening to it.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Cuddy or House or anyone else on House, MD. I do own Chris and I guess I own the Piscalli's. xD

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It was dark, about 8 pm, by the time I finally got to the car garage. I was busying myself with whatever paper work I could while waiting for Chris to finish whatever he had to do. I had called Pediatrics at around six, and the nurse that answered told me that Chris had to check with two patients and that she would tell him to call me. And he did. About 40 minutes later. "I'm really sorry," Chris had said. "It's been non-stop emergencies since three pm." He apologized again and I told him not to worry about it. My fingers touched the diamonds around my neck lightly, and I couldn't help but smile. "I love you." Chris had said, and I knew he was smiling.

"I love you, too." I had murmured, thinking about how sweet of him it was to say that. No doubt all the single nurses were bristling with jealousy. The taken nurses were crumbling with awe, wishing their significant others did things as charming.

Chris showed up around 7:30. Together we walked out to the entrance to his car. It was in the same fashion as almost twelve hours ago, except House was long gone, therefore there were no interruptions to our precious moments together. The parking lot had a lot of slush and sludge instead of the morning black ice. Few cars had scattered the asphalt, most people long gone. At the moment, we were the only ones standing under the tall lighted poles in the dark.

"You have to take me to get my car." I told Chris. My words created a cloud in front of my face and then it slowly dispersed.

"Why don't you just come back to my place? It's late- are you sure they're even open?" Chris leaned against the open car door. His square face was lined with fatigue.

"Of course they're open. I need to get my car. Plus, I don't have any work clothes or anything at your apartment." I argued. Blue met hazel eyes for a moment in a silent battle. Both our faces remained strong, but then, slowly, Chris' faltered. I could tell he was tired and I knew that if we went back to his house, we would end up putting ourselves through even more strenuous physical activity. And I didn't want to see him burnt out more then he already was.

"Fine, fine." Chris sighed heavily, holding up his hands in defeat. We both dropped our eyes and climbed into the car, teeth now chattering against the cold. Chris blasted the heated until it got warm. By the time we reached the car place, we were both cozy and ready to fall asleep. I reluctantly got out of the car with a slight sigh.

"Promise me you'll call if they aren't open or they're holding your car hostage for some reason!" Chris called after me. I went around to the other side of the car and he rolled the window down. Putting a hand on either side of his face, I looked at him sternly in the eyes.

"I promise you that if you promise me that you'll go home and get some rest. Look," I moved so he could see the front doors of the auto-place. Lights were on inside and a short, round Italian man could be seen moving about. "See? They're open." I turned back to him, hands still gently cupping his face. I traced the tired lines under his eyes and then lips with my thumbs before giving him a small kiss.

"Okay." He nodded and smiled at me, eyes half closed in content. Aw, I thought, poor guy. It made feel bad for a second that he was so tired, but then I remembered that he did choose to be a doctor. Smiling back, I turned away from the car, waving as I entered the shop. I watched as Chris pulled away and then I addressed the man who owned the car place. Anthony Piscalli was short with dark, graying hair and a thick mustache, completed with a heavy Italian accent. No one else was in the office/reception/waiting area that I could see. As I gave the man my name, I wondered why _his _name sounded so familiar.

"Follow me." Anthony instructed, motioning me through a door and into the garage. A place that was usually filled with the noises of drills and hammering was eerily quiet. I stepped carefully, clicking heels mixed with the shuffling on Anthony's old worn shoes. My car was in the center of the garage, surrounded by others in various colors. "Your car, it is in great shape." The old man smiled at me, handing over the keys.

"Thank you so much." I gave Anthony a polite nod. As I slid into the driver's seat, he pressed a button near the wall, causing the garage door to rattle and shake before rising upward. I checked my mirrors, and upon doing so, noticed a shadow move in the other side of the garage. Squinting, I tried to make sense of what I saw. After a second or two, I shook my head, thinking that I was just tired. But as I backed out of the garage, I caught the face in a mirror again. It was a long, lanky figure that seemed to be glaring at me with dark eyes. And as quickly as he appeared, his disappeared into the dark shop.

Totally confused and unsure of what just happened, I continued out into the parking lot and then pulled onto the road again. Althought there were plenty of lights and cars around, I found myself slightly freaked out. The guy looked like one of those maniac serial killers you see juming out of closets in horror movies.

Repeatedly, I told myself that it was a stupid thought.

But I kept seeing his face in the shadows and the lights; in every surface and grain. He was stalking me; mocking me.

Why?

It didn't take me long to find out.

The car was fine at first; as smooth and comfortable as ever. But it became apparent as I neared my house that something was different. Something was off. Sure, the roads were starting to refreeze. They were becoming slippery again, causing the tires to get off track and not stop completely. I was only a few streets from home when I realize who the face belong to. Marco Piscalli! No wonder the owner of the car place's name sounded so familiar. I cursed myself repeatedly for my over-worked brain to not think of it sooner. They were related some how. In which way, I wasn't quite sure. It wasn't his father, but maybe an uncle or cousin.

And it really sunk in.

Hadn't Marco come into my office just a few days before ranting about how horrible the treatment in my hospital was? It wasn't my fault his wife had died. Though I had to assume responsibility because of my position in the hospital. I had told him that his wife got the best care possible, and he accused me of not giving her the right medicines and not making sure she got the right care. I tried to appease the man with various reductions on the medical bills, and anything I could think of. I felt bad for him, I really did. But there was not one more thing I could do for the heart-broken man.

I must have been thinking too hard. Honestly, I had no idea what had happened until it did. There was a low snap and a dulled thump and my headlights went off. Confused, I flicked the switch back and forth. No lights, not even highbeams. All the lights in my car were off too. That was when I noticed the heat was no longer on. Sighing heavily, I peered into the darkness to try and see the road. Occasionally, a car would pass by on my left, but it was mostly empty space that I couldn't navigate until I was right on top of it.

There was a curve up here, I was sure of it. The streetlights weren't quite helping, with only a spotlight here or there, but the guard rail gave me a bit of a guide. Just one more slope and I was practically in my drive way.

But it was only one little icy patch on one slick slope that caused a tire to turn the wrong way. The car skidded and my foot jammed on the brake.

Nothing happened.

And when I say nothing happened, I mean EVERYTHING happened. The car sped up, gaining velocity as it fish-tailed toward one of those helpful-unhelpful streetlamps. Metal twisted around wood and there were a few sickening crunches as something toppled over something else. I'm not sure if I screamed or not, but something let out a high pitch banshee-type echo and it was the last thing I heard.

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When I came-to, my head was resting on the dashboard and I was aware that my arm was through the steering wheel. The seat was pressed against my spine in an uncomfortable manner, but I couldn't find my muscles to move. It was still dark, one of those inky-purple blacknesses that surrounded your peripheral vision.

Glass crunched under my cheek and something- blood- oozed from my forehead. I was shaking with cold; three windows were smashed in as well as both the front and back windshield. Snow flurried past my head in a whirl-wind and I realized that the roof of my car had been sunken in. Something thick was lying across the passenger seat, just missing my skull by fractions of an inch, the way I was positioned.

I couldn't bring myself to move at all.

Vision growing hazy, I wondered if anyone knew I was here. I quickly pushed aside the thought of _does anyone care _because I full-well knew people cared. Plenty of people.

As my vision grew hazy and my line of sight diminished, I could see bright splotches of red melt into that deep indigo.

But even so, as my heart started to grow weaker and weaker, my last thoughts before I blacked out again were '_Please don't let me die.'_

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ooc; And there you have it, folks. I don't know how happy I am with it. I know where I'm going with this, I promise. I have points A and C, it's just the fact of solving for B.


	4. Chapter 4

**House, MD FanFic**

**Title**: A Few Small Bruises

**Summary**: She was only supposed to come out of this with a few small bruises. Apparently, fate had other plans.

**Chapter Title**: Jan. 18

**Dedication**: Always and forever to Brettny. She means every thing to me, even more so a whole year after I started this story. -hearts!-

**A/N**: Sorry this took me so long to crank out. Laptop crashed and everything died a firey death. Okay, exagerating but yeah, so I lost a lot of things that weren't posted up here that I wrote. Also, change of person here. Third person- with a little intervention of Cuddy that's in first person.

**Disclaimer**: Chris is all mine :) House and ect are not.

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He didn't know what it was, but it was annoying. It was loud. He was sleeping. It was annoying. Muttering a curse or two, Chris rolled over and picked up his phone, peering at it with glassy eyes. The name on the screen flashed 'ALLISON' and Chris considered picking it up. Allison Cameron had gone to college with Chris and they were good friends. She had even helped him get the job, and introduced him to Cuddy for the first time. But it was late. He wasn't up for chatting.

Rolling over, Chris was about to go back to bed when a sudden thought dawned on him. Allison wouldn't call in the middle of the night to chat. What if it was one of his patients? Groaning about a kid with a stomach ache, Chris propped himself up and flipped open the phone. Seven missed calls, all from Allison's cell phone. Okay, something was definitely up.

Imediately, Chris called her back. She answered the phone in a tone that he knew enough to recognize a choking cry. "Allie, what the hell? Who needs me that bad that one of the nur-"

"Get your ass to the ER right now."

"Why? C'mon, there are enough people there to... You aren't hurt are you?"

"N-no. B-but-" Her voice was quavering and Chris could tell she was shaking. He was getting worried.

"Well then who is it, just tell me cause I'm tired and-"

"It's Lisa."

He went cold and froze before dropping everything. Yelling something to Cameron about being right there in ten minutes, Chris threw on a shirt and jeans and bolted out the door, leaving the phone where it was on the tangled sheets.

He never broke the speed limit. He never drove carelessly and he never weaved in and out of cars and lanes. Chris was breaking every single rule he ever built up forhimself just to get to the hospital faster. Time seemed to stop and speed up at the same time. He felt like it took ages, with his heart racing and racing in his chest and making his way to his throat. The same roads he always took every morning. The road he took just this morning to get to work, to the hospital.

In the glowing hours of early, early morning, Chris swerved into a parking space by the emergency department and couldn't get out of the car fast enough. Breathing ragged and harsh, Chris scanned the room for a face, a familar face. They were all familiar, he knew everyone. And there were a lot of people. The Dean of Medicine doesn't arrive in the Emergency Room without the entire staff knowing. Each one held the same look. Sadness, sorrow. Shaking their heads slowly as they looked at him.

No!

No. No, no, no!

She wasn't dead. She couldn't be. She- She was fine! Right?

Cameron spotted him seconds before a total break down. Setting a hand on his arm, she lead him to where House, Wilson, Chase, Amber, and the rest of House's team sat. None of them looked comfortable. House was leaning against the wall, twirling his cane from hand to hand. Wilson and Amber looked devastated and Thirteen was just staring into space. Foreman looked about the same. Kutner and Taub weren't making eye contact with anyone, each with their own spots on the floor to stare at. Cameron was the only one with tears streaming down her face.

"What happened?" Chris asked, looking at anyone for help. In turn, each person in Cuddy's life looked away from her lover's eyes. "Where is she? What the hell happened?" Cameron was the only one to speak as Chris got louder, glancing around wildly as if this might be a joke and there might be a hidden camera somewhere. No, no joke was this cruel.

"It was an accident. A bad one, Chris. The car... It's a miracle she isn't in pieces." Cameron kept her voice low and she tried to steady herself with no luck. "I-It was j-just near her h-house and... T-they f-found her... hours after it h-happened. N-no one was a-around and... and..." Hiccuping out of control, Cameron fell to a chair closest to House, who promptly looked down on her with a mix of worry and... something like care.

Okay, an accident. Chris could handle that! She- she was okay? He didn't want to think anything less. No, losing her... he couldn't do it. The thought...

"Where is she?" Chris demanded again. Racked with sobs, Cameron couldn't even answer.

"Surgery." House spoke up, sounding like his composed self. "They found the car with a telephone pole on top of it. They only called it in because power was out in nearby houses." Chris was hardly listening anymore, and House could see that so he didn't explain anymore.

How they brought her to the hospital before they knew who she was. How someone in the ER recognized her by her shoes and clothes. How much blood she had lost and how her skull was broken in more then one place. How she was so close to dying. How she didn't have a good chance. House wasn't explaining that to anyone. They all knew it.

What they didn't know was how Chris left her. Just left her! The guilt racked him to the core and he just stood there, between the group of people and the window to another room. Just stood there with a blank look. Finally, knowing there wasn't anything he could do right now, Chris shuffled to a spot on the wall next to House. Closing his eyes, a single tear ran down his pale cheek.

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Everything echoed. I was underwater. I was in the dark. But I could hear the beeps and sounds of machines and people. My muscles didn't move and I knew it was just the electrical impulses in my brain but I knew I was alive. I couldn't feel the cold, yet I couldn't feel the stiff sheets. I couldn't feel anything. But my mind was somewhere.

_"She's stiched up. A close call, but we got to it before she bled out. We'll have to see if she comes out of it though..."_

Whoever was speaking, I couldn't place my hand on it but it was familar. I knew him.

_"Is she stable enough to move?"_

_"I wouldn't suggest it. No, don't move her. Keep her here."_

_"Doctor Cameron says they all want to see her."_

_"Okay, but don't... stay..."_

The conversation was lost as my mind started slipping again. The woman had mentioned Cameron! Which meant... Oh God, Chris. I had to be alright. I had to see Chris again.

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Everything was too slow. The elevator. The people in the elevator. The nurses, when they told him what room she was in. Shaking with fear of what he might see, Chris didn't want to waste anymore time. He bolted into the darkened white room with out any warning. Cameron was calling his name, telling him to stop and wait and don't go in yet. She only quieted when House said something in a tone that suggested he was going to use force if she didn't shut up. They both let him go in alone.

The only sound he could hear was the throbbing of his heart ten times faster then the electronic beeps of hers. He didn't say anything at all. His steps echoed as the path from the doorway to her bedside grew longer and longer. She didn't move- no flutter of the eyelids or blissful breathing to suggest she was just asleep. The woman he so loved was pale in contrast to the normal rosy color her cheeks held. Lips were tinged purple and her skin looked so fragile and wrong with the scraps pressed into her cheeks. The blood was gone and scabs were starting to form- a good sign at this point. Her hair was a tangled mess around her head, yet someone had taken the liberty of getting the grime and blood out of it.

The bandaged wound looked out of place on Lisa Cuddy's hairline and the bruising around it just as much. Countless marks punctured her arms, and the rest of her was covered with a white sheet up to her chest. Chris couldn't stop himself from thinking that it only had a little ways to go before the white sheet signaled something other then comfort.

Taking another tentative step closer, he brushed a finger along her cheek. It wasn't the warm skin he was used too. This wasn't at all what he was used too. Biting back a choking sob, Chris' knees buckled and he didn't know what to think or what to do or what to say.

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I could feel someone there next to me. Like that feeling you're being watched? It wasn't the every-day type thing. I knew it was Chris standing over me. Why didn't he at least sit down? I couldn't feel his touch or hear his voice. I just knew.

The darkness wasn't moving. I tried to push past it, to give some sort of glimmer I could tell he was there. My muscles were lost in the tangled mess my brian put itself in. Pleading with myself, I just wanted him to have a sign or an inkling I was alright. I was going to be alright.

With each passing moment, he didn't leave. I faded in and out, but each time I knew his preseance was there. Until... it wasn't. Then I started to panic. How long had it been already? How long will it continue to be?

I had to try harder.

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Cameron appeared in the door way, trying not to look at Cuddy in the bed. "Chris? Are you okay? You've been in here a while..."

He didn't even realize the time starting to tick or the light from the window start to change. He couldn't take his eyes away from her.

"C'mon, Chris, let's get a cup of coffee..." She attempted to tug him away from Lisa's bedside. "She isn't going anywhere. It will just be a minute..." Cameron, who had cried herself out already, successfully lead him away and out the door.

"Allison, I could have saved her." Chris' voice was hoarse and hardly above a whisper. "I-I could have been there... I should have waited... God, it's all my fault!" With each accusation of himself, Chris got louder and yet the expression of guilt and worry didn't leave his face.

"No, you couldn't have." Cameron said absently, just trying to calm her friend. House, Wilson, and Amber were gathered within eyesight of the room. Wilson handed her a Syrofoam cup, which she handed to Chris. He didn't take it and brushed her arm away, starting to pace the floor.

"N-no, she picked up her car... I took her to pick up the car! I should have checked it out first... it was late and I didn't think-... I had just talked to her! It's all my fault, all of it! I-if I had known... I should have known!"

His rambling and speed quickened as Chris tried to talk himself in and out of the fact that she could die all because of him. Because he was too tired. Because he was selfish.

"Chris, please, the road was icy and you couldn't have done a damn thing." Cameron took a half a step forward, the coffee still in her hand. "Just sit down, okay? Relax, everything is going to be fine." As much as she spoke it, Cameron wasn't even sure if she believed it herself.

"No!" The sudden loud outburst from the usually placid man had heads moving. Chris turned to face her, too quickly as he knocked the coffee from her hand and it splashed to the ground, getting all over himself and her. Amber flinched out of the way and House straightened up. It went quiet.

"I would have stayed up with her all night, if I knew I could have saved her life."

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**A/N**; Yes or no? Reviews are appreciated ;D


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